For decades, Delta College has made sustainability a priority. As far back as the early 1970s, Delta participated in Earth Day activities and has continued the tradition of considering its environmental impact and teaching students to do the same. 

Last year, Delta was the first college in Michigan to be a named a certified Bee Campus, managing insecticide and pesticide use to be more pollinator friendly. 

The new Downtown Saginaw Center was built with LEED certification in mind, ensuring sustainable practices were considered throughout the building process and in its operations. The first Delta building project to receive LEED certification was the Health Professions Building, which was renovated in 2014. 

“In 2007, we decided as a college that LEED certification would be a priority so we’ve made sure that’s happened as we continue to grow,” said Linda Petee, Delta College Sustainability and Risk Coordinator.

This past summer, students participated in the Citizen’s Climate Lobby Conference in Washington, D.C., and also traveled to Costa Rica for a sustainability study abroad trip, learning about sustainable farming practices as well as nature conservancy. 

Most recently, Delta College ranked #6 in the community college category of the Top Colleges for Sustainability 2019 Sustainable Campus Index. The index, published by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), recognizes top-performing colleges in 17 distinct aspects of sustainability, and overall. Of particular interest is Delta College’s ranking in both the Campus Engagement and Buildings categories, which were above the national average for all institutions. 

“I’m very proud of this ‘Top College’ ranking for Delta. We have sustainability in our strategic planning and everyone at the College, from students to the Board of Trustees, collaborates on these initiatives,” said Dr. Jean Goodnow, Delta College President. “All that we have done in these areas really does make Delta a role model in Michigan and nationally.”   

Preparing Teachers to Meet Sustainability Challenges

Together with the University of Michigan’s Center for Education Design, Evaluation and Research (CEDER) and with funding from Dow, Delta College is proud to be engaged in a partnership empowering area teachers and students to be change agents for sustainability issues.

The Dow Innovation Teacher Fellowship supports secondary teachers in designing and implementing a sustainability-focused unit using project-based and place-based learning approaches. Sustainability is an interdisciplinary topic that has clear connections to STEM, civics, economics, communications, literature and other areas.

The first group of area teachers was selected in May to take part in the year-long experience and attended training at the Delta Planetarium in June. The teachers explored issues related to the circular economy, plastics and water quality. The University of Michigan team recruited community partners to collaborate on a sustainability problem teachers and their classes will study.

It was a unique experience for Katie Bryant who teaches Science, Design and Technology at White Pine Middle School in Saginaw Township. She is part of a participating White Pine team with Aimee Priem (English and Language Arts) and Tricia Benkert (Math).

“The students want to know what they can do to impact the future,” she said. “So we have to catch them now while they have this desire to help the environment and this program is going to help us teach our students how to do that.”  

Who is eligible?

• Middle and high school teachers of all disciplines
• Teachers working in Arenac, Bay, Midland, Saginaw, Gratiot or Isabella counties
• Teachers interested in teaching sustainability issues